In the recently released Parents Under Pressure: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Parents, Dr. Vivek Murthy warns that parents are facing unprecedented behavioral health challenges and urges more support for the needs of parents, caregivers, families, and communities.
Dr. Murthy highlighted that parents experience several unique stressors as part of raising children, including:
- Both parents are working long hours and time spent taking care of children has also increased, meaning parents are enjoying less leisure time and getting less sleep.
- Parents are under financial pressure, especially due to high rent and housing costs.
- Parents are concerned about the safety of their children, with a vast majority highlighting that school shootings are a substantial source of stress.
- Parents worry that social media use will increase the risk for mental health problems.
- Parents worry their children may struggle with mental health conditions in their lifetime.
- Many parents lack community support programs.
- According to the report, mental health conditions disproportionately affect some parents and caregivers, reflecting broader social determinants of health such and racism and discrimination that can increase the risk for mental health conditions.
The full report offers recommendations on how to support parents through policy changes, community programs, and individual actions. It also identified several initiatives that state governments, employers, community organizations, and schools can take to help reduce stress and better support the mental health and well-being of parents and caregivers.
